Machine for setting wheels.



F. LOUFEK.

MACHINE FOR SETTING WHEELS.

APPLICATIUN HLED'AUGJS. 1918.

1,296, 198. Patented Mar. 4,1919.`

2 SHEETS-SHEET i.

WITNESSES @@DQQQML ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETSQSHEET 2.

F. LOUFEK. MACHINE Fu SETTING WHEELS. APPLICATION FILED AUG.13,. 1918.

ATTO R N EY desired num'ber -Y and have any shape.

UNITED sTA-Tns; PATENT ornrcn.

- FRANK LOUFEK, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

MACHINE FOR SETTING WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4., 1919.

. Continuation in part of application Serial No. 184,923, led August 7,1917. This application led August 13, 191s. serial 110,249,659.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be itknown that I, FRANK LoUrEK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cedar-Rapids, in the Vcounty of Linn and State Vof Iowa, have invented a Vnew and useful Machine for Setting Wheels, of which lthe followingis a specification.

This invention relates to spoke setting or wheel repairing Vmachines especially designed for automobile wheel repair Work.

' The primary objectsvof this invention are to provide a mechanism which is adjustable for all types of vehicle wheels, which is so constructed that repair work may be done speedily and with ease, which can be accurately set to give the desired dishl to the wheel, and which has means to compress each spoke individually.

Animportant ob 'ect Vof the invention is to mount the spoke setting machine so that the` machine with the wheels clamped in place lmay be Vturned Vin either direction at will, whereby time and labor may be saved in operating upon the wheel.

To arrive at a complete understanding'of the invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings which'illustrate one embodiment of the machine. However, I do not wish to limit myself tothe eXact construction shown, but desire to make modifications in said construction at will, provided such changes are within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings,-

F-igurel is a Vperspective view showing the complete machine with a vehicle wheel clamped thereby;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical cross sectional view -of the machine and wheel without the pedestal; f

Fig.l 3 is a top plan view showingfa pora tion of the machine; and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional viewY of the spoke clamping mechanism. Y

'The numeral 10 vin the drawings designates a pedestal whoselegs 11 may be of an shelf 12 may be and preferably is supported between the legs 11 andV provides a convenient place to laytools, varnish cans and brushes, etc. The upper endof each leg is reduced or cut away, providing a shoulder 13. These shoulders as seenV in Fig. 2, sup# port 'a cylindrical bearing collar 14 having gether whatl might be appropriately termed the turn-table of the machine A number ofbolt's 19 pass through flangev 18 and securethe rotatable cylinder or sleev'evl'?` to an? armed support20' Thesey bolts also hold a base plate 21 to said support. Supplementary bolts 19 secure the'support and the base plate to each other. -Thus Vthe turning of the cylinder or sleeve carries with it the main support20 and the base plate 21.

The main support 2() preferably has four radial" arms 22 extendingy outwardly fromV the central circular portion,.each having a rest portion 23 and a ring supporting p0rtion 24. The said rest portion 23 and ring supporting portionv24 are. arranged concentrically with the center of the support Vand at different elevations, the ring supporting portion being on a higher plane than the rest portion. The restportion 23 -hasfan inner threadedy ring 25 secured to it by bolts 26. Under'fbraces 27, one for each arm ofthe'support, are'fastened tol said: arm 28belowthe ring supporting portion, and also tothe rotatable cylinderor'sleeve 17 at 29.

The Vbase plate 21 hasa depending center boss 3() provided witha centralf'threaded bore 31, said boss entering an opening in the Vcenter of the support 20. 'Midway between said bossand the periphery ofthe base platerises the annulariiange 32 havcircularaperture 34 centrally thereof land .95 f ing external threads. A table 33 has a wide the depending internally threaded flange 35 Y which engages thev flange `32 and is vertically adjustable with respect to the base plate. This table engages the under side of the hubs of thewheels which are clamped in the machine and constitute whatI might be called a center rest for the wheels.

Therinner threaded ring 25 supports a threaded annulus 36 having an out-turned flange 36a.V This'ann'ulus is therefore vertically adjustable. It is designed to meet the spokes of the wheel atan "intermediate point Y and to give them the desired inclination or dish with respect to the hub. The higher the annulus is adjusted above'theV table 33 the greater the dish given to the finished wheel.

Upon the outer ring supporting portion 24 of the arms 22 are placed two spaced rings 37 held apart byrthespacing blocks 38. Each block 38 is held by bolts or screws 39 between the outer rings, thus forming a ring frame. Flanges 40 on the spacing blocks engage wi'th the inner and outer edges of both rings and help secure the blocks in place. There are as many of the blocks as there are arms for the support 20; and each block is vfast to the rings at the point just above where the arms 22 meet the rings. The outer face of each block has a projecting lug 41. With this lug a spring steel bail or loop 42 engages. The bail is pivotally mounted on a clamping lever 43, which is in turn pivoted to the eXtreme end of arm 22, and depends therefrom. A stop 44 prevents the clamping lever from turning'too far inward. Obviously 'the bail 42 holds the block and hence the rings tight against the supporting arms when the clamp is brought into play. The spring clamps just described may be replaced by any other form of clamping means, and is not considered an essential feature.

The spaced outer rings provide a runway or track for a plurality of slide brackets 45. As Fig. 4 shows, these brackets have a central threaded bore 46 and are held upon the rings by outer flanges 47 and inner flanges 48. The latter have the outturned portions 49 which rest Vupon the upper face of the upper ring and the lower face of 'the lower ring and form with the flanges 48 hook-like projections. Each sliding bracket receives through its threaded bore a crank or setting screw 50 Ywith a swiveled head 51 on its inner end. A spur 52 formed inte grally with the crank projects through a hole in the swiveled head and penetrates the wood of the rim of the wheel to hold said wheel firmly inplace. It is clear that the `brackets 45 with the lcranks 50 ,constitute each a spoke-compressing means. The machine is provided with a sufficient number of the spoke compressors to have one for each spoke of any wheel that may be placed. in the machine.

The means for holding the vehicle wheel` l to theV machine while being worked upon,

and which may be designated as a center clamp, is preferably a long clamping bolt 58 which extends centrally through the hub and engages at its lower end with vthe threads of the center boss 30 of the base plate. This bolt has'two sections, the upper 54 being plain for the greater part of its length with the threads 5,5 at the upper end. A shoulder 56 is provided -by` reason of this upper section 54 being reduced or smaller in diameter than the lower section 57. The latteris threaded at 58 throughout the major part of its length, said threads holding the bolt to the base plate and allowing vertical adjustment of the bolt.

Surrounding the clamp/ing bolt are two hub-engaging cones 59 and.60, ofwhich the lower cone 59 is considerably larger than the upper. The cones are really truncated and each preferably is of a 66 angle. However, other angles will serve Athe purpose. The central bore 61` ofthe lower cone 59 is sniootli,'and a recess 62 is formed in the base of said cone to receivethe shoulder 56 of the clamping bolt. On the other hand( the borev 63 of the upper cone 60 is threaded so as to engage with the threads 55. A wing nut 64, ora similar device, is turned on the end of the bolt and bears' against the upper cone. Obviously the distance betweenrthe cones and the pressure which they exert on the hub ends areregulated by turning the wing nut. The slant of the cones makes them adjustable for a large number o-f dif- Y ferent sized hubs; the 'bigger the hubs the farther in the cones will tit.

It will be noted that the center rest is adjustable, that the kannulus is also adjustable and is arranged concentrically of the outer A rest; and that the ring frame is concentric with the annulus. While I vhave shown the center rest, annulus and ring frame mount ed upon a vcommon support, and this is the preferable cvzonstruction, they could ,be supported independently on different supports.

The operation, uses and advantages of my invention will be readily understood. Vhen a wjheel is to bevrepaired, it is set between the outer rings with the dish vuppermost ll() i rim Vat the desired places.V Then the wheel Y may be left until theglue has hardened. p The invention is equally applicable for building' new wheels. Any desired-dish is given to such'wheels, and they can be sub- Y jected to powerful pressure while the cement Y is hardening. Because Ythe outerrings Vhave a large diameter large wheels may bebuilt or repaired; and Ysince the cranks Vhave a considerablelength, quite small wheels may be accommodated also in the' machine.V The cones automatically Vadjust themselves to nearly all sizes of hubs. The provision of the turntable saves the workmanftime and trouble because lhe 'can stand in lone spot and set each spoke compressor for itsA spoke. The sliding brackets permit `moving the spoke compressors in either direction along the outer rings. lHence a wheel with any number of spokes is quickly accommodated. By using this machine one saves time andV labor and can do 4better work than with most spoke setting machines.

This application is'a continuation in part of the application filed by me August 7, 1917, Serial Number 184,923.

What-is claimed is f v Y 1. In a wheel-compressing machine, thev combination with an adjustable center rest, of an adjustable annulus concentrically of the center rest, a ring frame about'the -ad-V justable annulus and concentric therewith, and a pluralityrof setting-members carried by the ring frame. .v

2. In a machine of the character described, a support, an adjustable center rest on said support, an adjustable annulus concentrically of the center rest, a ring frame about the adjustable annulus and resting upon the support, and a plurality of setting members carried by the ring frame for engaging the rim of the wheelfwhen placed upon the rest and annulus. Y Y .1 f

3. In a machine of the character described, a support, an adjustable center rest on said support," an adjustable annulus concentrically ofthe center rest, a ring frame about the adjustablev annulus and lresting upon the support, a plurality of setting members carried .by the ring frame for engaging the rim of the Wheel-when'placed' upon the rest and annulus, and V'means for detacha'blyY clamping the ring frame to the support.

4L; In a machineof the character described,

a'support, an adjustable center'reston' said-V support, an adjustable annulus concentri-f cally of the center rest, a ringfra'me about the adjustable annulus and resting upon theVV support, a plurality of setting'membersV carried by the ring viframe for engaging the rim vof the wheel Vwhen placed upon the rest and annulus, means for detachably clamping the ring frame to the support,-acenteri clamp on `the support, slide brackets-for the setting members adjustablyY engaged with andV slidable on the ring frame, and a `holding ring carried by the support -forthe adjustable annulus. v v Y i .Y

5. In a machine of the character described,

a support, an adjustable center reston saidV support, an adjustable annulus lconcentrically of thecenter.rest,a ring ramefaboutthe adjustable annulus andY resting upon the support', a plu-ralityof setting members carried by the ring frame for engagingthe rim of the wheel when yplaced upon therest and annulus, means for detachably clamping the ring frame to the support, a center clamp Y on the support, slide brackets adjustably` engaged with the ring frame for the settingV members, a holding ring carried by the support for the adjustable annulus, and a baseV plate on the support for the adjustable center i rest.

1 6. In a wheel-compressing machine, a support carrying a center rest, a ring frame connected to the support, .and individual spoke-compressing means slidable laterally each comprising a block mounted between and guided by the said rings, and a setting screw passing through the block and adapted to engage the rim ofa wheel in line with the spoke.

8. In a wheel-compressing machine, a sup-y port carrying a center resty and a ring frame, said ring frame being composed of upper and lower rings spaced apart, slide brackets mounted on the ring frame andV each comprising a central block and hooked flanges embracing the rings, and setting members mountedin the brackets and movable therewith along the ring frame inV either direction.

' 9. In a'wheel-compressing machine, a support, a center rest adjustable vertically with :respect tothe support, an annulus adjustable vertically Arelative to the support and arranged concentric with the center rest, and

a .ring frame concentric with the Vcenter rest Yand carrylng spoke-compressing means, said ring frame being-mounted upon the support and said spoke-compressing means being mounted `upon the'ring frameto move laterally thereon in either direction. Y'

' 10. In a wheel-compressing machine, an armed support, a center rest attached to said support,- a ring frame resting on the ou-ter ends of the arms of said support, means for Y clamping the ring frame-to the arms of the support-and holding the ring frame'V against movement `on the support, vsaid clamping means being extended below the arms o"y the support, and 'a Vplurality of spoke-compresslng means carried bythe ring frame. j

11. vIn a wheel-compressingV machine, an

. armed suppo.rt,:a center rest attached to `said gsu-pport,'a rmgi-frameresting onthe outer ends of the arms of saldv support, said ring frame being composed of upper and lower rlngs 'spacedv apart, spacing blocks vrigidly support.

iSl:

secured between the rings coincident with the locationvof the arms of said support, clamping devices engaged with the arms of the support and the ring frame forholding the latter upon the support, and individual spoke-compressing means slidable laterally in either direction on the ring frame between Ythe rigidly mounted blocks and each comprising a block guided by the said rings and a setting screw.v y

A12. In a wheel-compressing machine, an armed support, a center rest attached to said support, a ring frame resting on the outer ends of the arms of said support, individual spoke-,compressing means slidable on theV ring frame, and means for clamping the ring frame to the arms of the support, said means comprising a projecting lug extending from the ring frame, a clamping lever, and a spring bail between said lever and said lug, said lever being mounted upon said support. Y 13. In a Wheel-compressing machine, a support, a base platev iiXed to the support, an adjustable table constituting a center rest, threaded flanges carried by the table and the base plate respectively and providingfor the adjustment of said table, and spoke-compressing means mounted on the support.

'14.V In a wheel-compressing mechanism, an armed support, a center rest on Said support, a ring frame supported on the arms of the support, clamping means secured to the outer ends ofthe arms of the support for holding the ring frame against relative movement on the support, and compressing means for the spokes adjustably carried by' the ring frame and independent of the said clamping means.

l5. In a wheel-compressing machine, an

armed support, lan Vadjustable center rest mounted on the support, an interiorly threaded stationary ring concentric with the center rest and fastened to the arms of the. support, an annulus with a depending eX ternally threadedV flange engaging the sta tio-nary ring, said annulus being'l adjustable vertically to give the desired :dish to the spokes of aY Wheel, and a ring frame with` spoke-compressing` means carried by the said 1 6.In a machine ofthe class described, a support, a base plate Xed to the support and having a depending internally threaded boss, a `hub clamping means adjustably held in said boss, an externally threaded flange rising'from the b ase plate concentrlcally of lthe boss,an adjustabletable having an'inf ternally threaded flange engaged with the flange ofthe base plate, andsetting members concentric withlthe boss. Y

.1:17. In a machine of the class described, a support having a threaded bossja hub clampingbolt threaded in said boss, said clamping bolt rising fromV `the boss and havan adjustable center rest, setting members, Y

and a single clamping bolt-adjustably engaged with the center rest at its lowerend, and carrying selffadjusting hub engaging .conesat its upper end.

20. .In a machine of the class described, an adjustable center rest, setting members,

and a clamping boltadjustablyengaged atV its lower end with the center rest, said bolt carrying a lower slidable hub engaging cone and an Vupper screwable hub-engagingY cone at its upper end. Y j 21. In a machine ofthe class described, an adjustable center rest, setting members, and a single clamping bolt adjustablyengaged with the center rest ati its lower end,'andl carrying self-adjusting hub engagingcones at vits upper end, each of said cones being truncatedand concentric with said bolt.

Ina machine of the class described, anadjustable center rest, setting members,

and a single clamping boltadju'stably engaged with the center .rest at itslower end,V and carryingself-adjusting hub kengaging conesat its'upper end, said cones being mounted on the bolt longitudinally and inverted with respect to each other, the lower one of the' cones beingthe larger.V Y

23. In a machine of the class described,

a.V pedestal or stand, an varmed support ro- Y tatable on said stand, anadjusta'ble centerrestonsaid support, an adju-stable annulus about the center rest, a ringV frame surrounding .Vthe annulus andresting lon the. support, and set-ting.memberscarriedA upon said ring frame, said elements being mova-ble1 as a unit with the support on Ysaid pedesta 24.' In a-machine-'offthe class described, the combination with thel pedestal having a bearing collar atV its upper end, arotatable sleeve tted. around said collar, a support rigidly secured to said sleeve, and wheel supporting means and setting members mounted upon said support and movable as aunit therewith. .Y Y

25. Ina machine'otv theclass described, thecombination-with the pedestal havingV a bearing Vcollarat its upper end provided Vwith an outstanding base ilange, a rotatable sleeve Vfitted, around said Vcollar andvbea-ring upon said flange, a support rigidly secured to said sleeve, and-'wheel supporting means,

and setting members mounted upon said support and movable as a unit therewith.

26. In a machine of the character described, the combination With the pedestal,

Vof an armed support, means mounted upon port and forming a turn table to permit the 10 turning of the support on said pedestal.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aXed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

FRANK LOUFEK.

i Witnesses:

STANLEY B. NovoTNY, CHAS. TICHY.

Copies of this patent may b e obtained for ve cents each, by'addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

